Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1887-11-23
A BOOMERANG
Thrown by the Railroads at Their Best
Business Point.
Unjust Discrimination in Freights
Against Butte and Anaconda.
Unanimous Condemnation by the Bust
ness Men of Butte.
Freights to he Hauled From Silver
Bow by Bull Teams.
Probability Of a Rich Harvest FOR the
Montana Central.

Montana Central.
The business men 4 Butte. who for a few
days RI joiced il the idea that they were to
enjoy the same reduction ri freight rates
by the Northern PacAtic and Union Pacific,
as that made by all lines to Helena, were
yesterday subjected to IL serious disap.
pointment in TIE announcement that the
old rates would still obtain here. The
ground taken by the Union Pacific is that
while in making q reduced rate to Helena,
they must make a corresponding reduction
to intermediat points on the main line 81
the Montana Union, the Interstate Con-
merce law does not compel them to reduce
the rates on the Montana Union branches.
Therefore. while Silver Bow, Stuart, Warm
Springs. Deer Lodge, Garrison, and
Helena will enjoy a first-class rate OF
$2.35 per 0 pounds; the frst-cla Is
rate to Butte and Anaconda well be So, as
OF old. The announcement was received
nv the business men Of Butte with aston
ishment and Indignation. 1t is considered
an undescrved blow at the interests OF this
city, placing it at a great disadvantage as
compared with almost all other points in
M ,nNanA. ne pOICy Oh Wdk'Ng SUCH HI
unjust discrimination against Butte. which
pays more railroad freights than all other
Montana points combined. is regarded as a
mistake that will react to the disadvantaae
OF the two roads. A representative of The
MINER called upon a number OF the heavi-
est shippers among the merchants yrster-
day 10 obtai. their opinions of the posi-
tio8 taken by the roads with the following
result:
p = e. 1890. =.
iustice to Butte. but do not know tat the
merchants can help themselves at present.
The will continue to pay the extra rates
under protest, and they viii Know what to
do when they have IN opportunity to bet
ter themselves. / have been paying high
rats for years, and considered them paid
under protest.
WIN. Y. Pettes: It seems to be a very un-
fair discrimination in favor of Helena.
Mr.. VIM. Jack, being absent, his manager,
Mr.. Mahan said: 1 consider it very Unfair,
unjust, and a very foolish policy that will
have Il severe reaction.
j.. r. Royce. Jr.: I think it is a matter
for tn. Board OF Trade to deal with, as
they did in Denver and Salt Lake. The
merchants can do very little, except to pay
under protest, as it were, and remember.
so that when an independent road comes
in they will know what to do. 1t was a
very foolish move to make just now when
the heavy shipments are all in. 1t would
have been a good card to follow up the re-
ductions made by the Manitoba. and stand
by them. Instead of maki.g such an I'm
popular move at a time when it could not
make any important improvement in re-
ceipts. l can SIC that the Ma. will
be a very popular road, coming in. as it
does, independent OF all Others, and giving
relief by reducing freight rates. The other
road. should not wait to be forced into
making The reduction.
j. f.. Richards: do not hesitate to say
that it is an outrage on Butte, and the
roads will not MAKE any friends byit. They
ars standing ia their own light il waitingto
be- forced to give a reduced rate, for when
there is IL choice between three roads, OF
course there will be n more friendly feeling
for the roar that brings about the redic.
ton. 1t will pay me to ship my heavy
f~reights 10y team to and from Silver Bow,
while there is a diff renee of S13 per ton be.
tween thai point and Bn'te.
J.. Maillett: I feel just the same az al!
the rest, that we are not being used right.
1t is an unfair discrimination
against Butte and in favor OF
Helena. 1t gives Helena the pres
tige Of being able to cell goods cheaper
than Butte cam. OF course Helena does the
greatest jphhing trade an way, but still
ther" j. q good deal Of iohhing here. es-
Iecia " IT, hardware. AID that tr,d d" will
siiffer severely II rg,ese rGter stand. The
Board If Trade ought 10 Iinii Il meeting to
pass resolutions expressive of thu i~niigna-
tinn Of tn business n.ea. Bate practically
hui t The Utah IL Nnrt,iorn. and has Paid
GIvi irnis on it. ami vet that road has
always treated B..trc more shabbi'y than
any o'her place. 1t is Ar nutr, g. the
p-opit have been too tame in submitting
So long t. imposition in The matter Of
freights. | for OEe, would be wiling to go
IN with the other merchants and bid my
sell IT, ship every pound of freight by the
Montana Cantral ST. long as they use lis
right. | wish that Dad could be cracked
right through to Butte.
I'D. Thomas: l think it Il very foolish
move to make such "A Discrimination against
Butte, but don't know that the merchants
can help themselves now, and it's a very
aegravating case. That's my opinion in a
nutshell, and you can put it in as strong
language as you wish.
P. A. Largey: think it will be very hard
on the merchants. don't care to say any
more.
Mr.. Gensherger, manac for Cans &
Klein: | consider it a very mean move to
take this advantage of Butte because she
happens to be on u branch line, aud they
claim that the branches do not come under
the provisions of The Interstate Commerce
law. II any place should get the benefit OF
the lowest rates that can be given by the
railroads., it is Butte, from which they get
more business than all the Others. The
Northern Pacific .f course could not help
itself in this matter, but whrn the Mon
tsna Central arrives, it will get the benefit.
This unjust move will he rene nbered to
the disadvantage OF the road that is
responsible for it.
M. Cohen: | agree with all other merch-
ants, that ii any place in Montana is en- |
tit ed to Low rates it is Butte, and we want
a. low rates IS can !e given to any Mon !
tana point. l. is rough on the merchants !
here SO have to pay Si3per ton more than
Helena and all Intermediate poIn,s. 1t
will pay US better to haul our goods from |
Silver Bow by wagon than by rail-.
P.J. Brophy, Of Casey e. Brophy: We
don care SO much what the rate is so |
long as we have An equal chance with |
Helena. The Helena merchants had a
guarantee Of reduced rates from the North
ern Pacific as far back as October Is, and |
were thus enabled to save thems Ives from
severe loss by a sudden reduction. The re- !
duction to Butte was made at the very |
time to cause us the greatest loss. II it |
had been a month earlier VIC could |
have saved ourselves, and if it was a |
month later it wouldn't have been /
so bad. The Union Pacific should give
Butte the same rate that the Northern Pa
Cific has given to Helena, and make it re.
troactive to October 18th. O: course this
matter of giving a reduced rate to Silver
Bow, M an arbitrary rate from Silver
Bow to Butte, will not hold out. and l ex-
psct TO s,e it reduced within a week. Such
a discrimination in favor OF Helena would
kill the jobbing trade here.
Mr. Casey expressed the same opinions as
those Of Mr.. Brophy.
Mayor Kenyon. in conversation with cit
liens during the dav. expressed deep indig-
at the imposition. The reporter
unable t find him last evening.